Why are we thankful when vets and families get front-burner play?Check out what Digest columnist Carolyn Hinsey has to say about what’s happening across the daytime dial.
What were we thankful for this Thanksgiving? Front-burner vets, characters kissing again, and soaps playing families together.
Y&R stuffed a lot into one episode (see what I did there?), starting with Nick and Sharon gathering volunteers at Crimson Lights to feed the “unhoused and under resourced” of Genoa City. Lily and Chelsea kumbaya’d as did Billy and Victoria — for the day. Phylis welcomed Daniel back to Genoa City with a thousand hugs and shrieks of “my baby boy!” Nikki and Victor stopped by Abby’s restaurant to learn she was having problems with Chance and observe her in a clinch with Devon. What’s up with that? wondered Victor.
Nikki: “Patience, darling.”
Over at the Abbott manse, Traci lovingly surveyed that famous dining table where we used to watch Mamie feed breakfast to Traci, Jack and Ashley, setting up a love-fest with younger set Kyle, Summer and Allie.
Ashley: “All of us loved ones sharing this day makes me happy.”
Traci: “The more the merrier.”
Diane (entering): “Happy Thanksgiving everyone!”
Record scratch. Ashley would have none of it, making comments about what defines a “good mother” and shooting daggers at Diane.
Jack (toasting): “John and Dina sat at this very table for so many Thanksgivings. To family, love, loyalty, and most of all to gratitude that we could all be here together.”
But don’t let the spirit of joy and thanks distract you from the real purpose of the holiday.
Ashley (later, to Tucker): “It’s time to bring that bitch down!”
B&B’s Thomas thought he had brought that bitch down by sabotaging Brooke’s marriage to his father, leaving Brooke alone with her sisters.
Katie: “We’ll get through this terrible day together.”
Brooke (answering doorbell): “Dad!”
Brooke poured her heart out to Stephen and his new girlfriend Lucy about her problems with Ridge as Katie and Donna sat quietly, which was curious. Katie’s husband Bill left her, too (for Brooke!), and Donna is back with Eric (who once dated Stephen’s late wife Beth and who Stephen tried to poison) but, sure. Let’s talk about Brooke.
Across town, the Forresters were preparing for another quickie wedding when Steffy learned Thomas was behind the CPS call blamed on Brooke. She spilled all to Taylor.
Thomas: “I got the job done. Brooke is out of our lives.”
Steffy: “You can’t base your marriage on a lie, mom!”
Thomas (to Taylor): “Go downstairs and get what’s been yours all along.”
Been hers all along? I guess Ridge and Brooke’s eight weddings were just some play they were in. But Taylor did, indeed, try to get what was “hers,” so Steffy herself stopped the wedding.
Ridge was livid.
Ridge (to Thomas): “You are a self-centered, delusional child who has lost all grasp on reality. I’m going to talk to Dad about your place in the company.”
Yeah, he’s fired.
Nicole fired up a homemade pie for Rafe which he promptly threw in the trash on DAYS before hosting Gabi and Li for a pretty grim meal.
Rafe: “Lowkey is good.”
Not on a soap. Talking about cornbread isn’t very dramatic.
Gabi: “Nicole ruined everything. She’s going to realize what an idiot she was.”
Now you’re talking!
Eric dated Jada for a minute and a half, knocked her up, and they agreed they could “co-parent”.
Eric (to Jada at the Brady pub): “I’m glad you stayed for Thanksgiving dinner.”
The next day Jada announced she had terminated the pregnancy. Who knew there was an overnight abortion clinic in Salem? I hope they served turkey.
Elsewhere, Alex and his goggles hosted Stephanie, and then ole Three-Way Kiriakis kissed her. EJ drank alone staring at Susan’s picture.
Marlena (entering): “I want to offer you my condolences.”
EJ: “This is all my fault.”
Even the best shoulder in Salem couldn’t console him; EJ wound up at the side of the road drinking out of a flask.
And poor Sarah had to make do with leftovers brought to her fleabag hotel by her mom. Here’s hoping Maggie shares some Hilton Honors points with Sarah for Christmas and gets her out of that dump.
The Quartermaines hosted the traditional disaster on GH, despite Olivia ordering a turkey from a fancy French company. It arrived live and wrecked the house.
Carly: “This is for the birds.”
Luckily they always have pizza on speed dial…
Felicia brought turkey to the police station for Laura, Mac, Scorpio and Jordan, prompting Laura to ask, “Are you the Thanksgiving fairy?”
Enter Alexis.
Alexis: “You summoned me? What could you possibly need on Thanksgiving?”
Jordan: “A reason not to arrest you.”
Alexis set Jordan straight about prosecuting Journalists for printing true information (i.e. you can’t) and headed over to Sonny’s.
Alexis: “Sorry I’m late. I was defending the first amendment.”
Nina: “As one does on Thanksgiving.”
Nina’s sarcasm is really growing on me. Awkwardness ensued when Gladys and Sasha yelled at Alexis for printing news about Brando’s killer, and then Dante chimed in that she interfered in a police investigation. I’m surprised Alexis didn’t pitch a yam at each of their heads.
But the real celebration came after a classic GH bait-and-switch.
Robert (to Diane): “Meet Holly Sutton: Ex-wife and a woman I would trust with my life.”
Oops. Holly drugged him, stole the diamond necklace he was carrying for the WSB, and turned up in a house that exploded in flames as the cops closed in.
Happy Thanksgiving!
But wait — Holly was fine. We learned the next day that her escape had been secretly orchestrated by Robert and Felicia so Victor would think she had been burned (“Holly flambé,” quipped Felicia) and release Holly’s kidnaped son Ethan. Robert and Holly’s last scene was everything soaps should be: Beloved vets sharing meaningful dialogue and kissing.
I am thankful for that.
Hey. It’s only my opinion.
